CHAPTER IV.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1944, 20 December 1884, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER IV.

A holiday being about to occur, Mr. Normar planned a picnic at Jack's selection, and aftei a good deal of manoeuvring succeeded in getting up a party, whioh included Addie, Mrs, Mackay (" propriety "), and some young 1 people. Hughie had run off to Melbourne 1 probably to indulge in pleasures that need noi be particularised, or to hunt up heiresses, oJ ■ whom several would be visiting at his father* ■ town house. i It must not for a moment be supposed thai i Addie did not know what was to occur, Every woman has a presentiment when th« > momentous time is at hand. And Lizzie hae i a presentiment, too. But the frame of mind of the two girls, as they drove out througt i the dusty lanes, past the deep green fields o: i spring, was very different. Lizzie looked forward to the end of that day with joy d&shed only by those modest feelings that da a maiden honor. She knew that Norman loved her truly and loyally, and that no obstacle was in the way, and she felt she would be a happy wife and he a happy husband. If a cloud crossed her mini it was caused by anxiety for her darling brother. But love so blinded her that she could not believe any woman could resist the dear fellow, least of all one so kind and sensible, and capable of affection as little Addie. On the other hand, Addie suffered acutely during that ride that should have otherwise been so pleasant. She knew the time had come, and that she would have to decide in a few hours. It was a terrible struggle that took place in her little heart : a fight to the death between love and prudence and com-mon-sense, and poor love had the worst of it. He was at his best, and painted in glowing colors the future. He laid on the gold and the pink and the purple with great skill. He pictured a happy home, with aloving, doting husband, and beautiful children. He even went so far^as to .draw'two[pictures ; besides that we have dell' scribed, one showI ing in dark colors what would hap- : pen if she refused. It was a black one indeed: a man that might have become a god, losjfe for ever; a woman who might have been happy, living a cheerless old maid's life, with an eternal regret for the wreck of the gallant barque that might have been hers. But I reason, aided by prudence and common - sense, I was the best limj ner. Over the golds and pinks and purples of j poor love he ruthlessly threw sombre blacks or : cheerless drabs and greys that ; changed the pic- | ture and made it 1 dismal. How could two persons so dissimilar, so far apart in tastes and associations, mate together and be happy ? For a time there would be a warm summer of love, but soon the winter would come and the rains and the storms, and love would perish. Jaok would go back to his old associates and his old habits, and there would be a neglected wife and children and farm. In vain love pleaded what he could do to change the habits and nature of a man. Eeason laughed him to scorn, and appealed to Addie tp Remember how auch matches had fcwcned out in BaliJarat.BeforeAddie reached the fewu reason had triumphed, and loye, crushed and despairing, lay transfixed and dying. The struggle was terrible : it almost made an old woman of the girl. From that day her face changed, and friends said they could hardly know her. For she loved Jaok, but thought happiness with him was hopeless. And, poor Addie, without him it was hopeless, too. O 1 these terrible errors of our lives ; these moments when we think wa are steering clear of the shoals and the quicksands into clear water, to find we have taken the wrong channel. Of, if there was power to reoall them ! Jack met the party at the gate of his new paddock, in riding dress, whioh became him so well, and showed off the perfection of his matchless form. He had never looked so handsome. His sister gazed upon him with rapture. " Oh, Harry I " she said to her lover, " did you ever see anything bo splendid ? She cannot refuse him." " She ought not," replied Norman, but not in so certain a tone. Addie did not meet Jack's eye, and a heavy cloud came over his face. But for all that he resolved to know his fate. The day was passed in gaity, Lizzie acting the part of hostess, and making everyone — save two — merry. Addie endeavored to take part, but without interest or spirit. How it was arranged no one knows, but the young people got away from eaoh other in couples in the afternoon, after lunch. Young people have a knack of doing this ; but how they manage it they cannot themselves explain. Addie found herself and Jack in a clump of wattles growing on the bank of the creek. She had not sought to escape she had prepared herself for the ordeal. ' They sat in silence side by side watching; the dragon flies skimming over the poj&d', Vai water boatmen performing their ari^ca* and the mason bees scooping bijt holes in the banks, to bury in them, stupified cioades. In one of the'^'ej V pair of Braall birds were 1 budding (heir- neat, and dividing their time bjetween, encouraging eaoh other and looking inquisitively at the two humane. <• Addie," said Jack at last; "I want you to promise yon will not be offended with me ?" "Not unless you give me great cause," she replied, looking at the bird's mate, Wjho. hajcf Soaked!- his I head' suspiowusly. when he heaxd ihe/yoigs^/V ■. „- .../ % ;.-•"-

"I won't do that," said Jack huskily. " Oh, Addie, Addie, I love you ; I cannot tell how much, and I want you to marry me. Don't speak yet " — seeing her lips were framing a reply — " don't speak; hear me a little bit. Don't say 'no' if you value a human soul. I don't want you to say ' yes,' but for Heaven's sake don't say ' no.' It would kill me ; it would kill my soul. If you would only marry me I would love you as tenderly as this bird does his mate ; I would guard you and work for you, and — I would become a new man. Oh, Addie, I'm rough and I can't speak, but — but — oh, if you could look into my heart I " It was pitiful to hear the strong young man. No wretch with the knife of the assassin at his throat could have pleaded as he did — so wildly, so despairingly. It wrung his listener's heart. Love, faint, and bleeding, began to raise his head, to look up again. Then the resolute little woman, feeling if he once more stood up he would be her master, took the little god and strangled him. " Jack," she said, looking with a firm gaze, but with quivering lips, into the agonised, bleeding face of her lover, " I can never be your wife." A groan burst from the young man, at which the two birds, alarmed, fled ; and, from the branch of a tree afar off, ruefully contemplated their little structure, thinking, in their silly little heads, that they could never go back to it. But the tigers of the water, the dragon-flies, still flitted after their prey, and the mason bees dragged their helpless, benumbed victims into their dens. The playful water boatmen, startled, dived, and were seen no more. " My God, Addie," said Jack, in agony, " do not say that ; it means ruin, hopeless ruin. Oh, I wish I could plead to you as they do in books, but I cannot. Do you love another man — is that what comes between us ? If so, there ia no hope." " I do not love another man," she replied quietly — the tempest was over, and her heart was now crushed and still. A great gleam of joy came into his face. " Then there is hope," he cried. " I will fight for and win your love as no man has fought and won. I must and will have you for my wife." " I tell you it is impossible," was the cold reply. " Such a marriage would be madness. Nothing but wretchedness would come of it." "Nothing but happiness," he cried, springing up. " Promise to me the opportunity and I will win your love." The girl looked strangely into his face. " You have had that already," Bhe said, " but I have thrust you from me." " You loved me," he said, his face aflame with pleasure. "I did." " Then you must love me still," he cried, advancing as if he would take the frail little form in his great grasp. " Keep back ! " said Addie. " I did love you, but that is pasc." It was mad and foolish; but it is all past now. After to-day we will never meet again. You ought to know marriage between us is impossible." She was gone before he knew. He caught a glimpse of her dress as she passed out of the clump of wattles, and joined some of the picnic party who had come that way. Then he threw himself upon the ground and hid his terrible agony. The birds flew away into the distant woods to select a new site for a nest, but the dragon flies still pursued their prey, and the mason bees dragged their helpless victims to their doom ! Higher up the creek Lizzie and Harry Norman sat with their arms around each other, silent, but inexpressibly happy. The words had been spoken ; the future to them was painted in gold and purple and rose, with warm browns and cool greens to relieve the glow of color. And, strange to say, the startled birds settled the site of their new nest in a tree not far distant, and the water boatman had settled down in front of them and resumed their antics. But the ghoul- like mason bees and the tigers of the water were not seen. They remained where a prostrate figure lay upon the bank as if dead 1